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Friday, May 04, 2012

There is a difference between Murphy's law and Sod's Law. Irony that's all. It's a British thing. It's enough for me to say that I needed more whole polos for the craft than I managed to get out of 5 bloody packets.

Captain Edward A. Murphy, American Air Force, in 1949 was involved in tests of G-force on humans. During which, because of a cock up, he said about a technician:

"If there are two ways to do something, and one of those ways will result in disaster, he'll do it that way"

The man having the g-force imposed on him, Colonel John Paul Stapp, said in a press conference later that the rocket sled team's good safety record was due to 'its awareness of Murphy's Law'. He told the press that it meant "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong" - and so Murphy's law came into being.

Sod's Law, the British invention, has been around for centuries (the Americans are generally late to the party). Some one would always splatter blood your direction if your armour was newly shined or if you exclaimed 'looks like rain' just before the heavens opened then sods law said the witch hunters were listening.

Polos were introduced in 1955 and as enduring as they are, I would like to point out that they are no use to me as candle holders if they are in pieces!

If you want to know more about Captain Murphy and Dr Stapp have a look at the Stuff You Should Know website, I love their podcasts.